Freshwater aquaculture

Unit 2 - Freshwater Aquaculture resources

2.2. Freshwater Resources of India
India is blessed with different types of freshwater resources, some of which can be utilized for fish culture. Following are the types of water bodies found India and their extent.

S.No	Type of water body	Area (million ha.)
1	Ponds and tanks	2.25
2	Lakes and Reservoirs	2.09
3	Bheely and wetlands	1.30
4	Paddy fields	2.30
5	Irrigation canals	0.12

Only 45% of the ponds and tanks in India are currently utilized for fish culture
Therefore great potential for horizontal expansion exists

Biological Resources (Species)
India is also blessed with great biodiversity of fish. Only a few of the fish found in India have been used for fish culture or are suitable for fish culture. The following species of fish are either used for fish culture or can be used for fish culture.

a) Carps

• India is basically a carp country
• Freshwater farming is mainly focused on carps
• Three Indian major carps viz., Catla, Rohu and Mrigal are the main species cultivated.
• The three Chinese carps – silver carp, grass carp and common carp are also used in the composite fish culture.
• A wide range of technology for seed production and culture of the carps is available
• Carp culture expanded rapidly after 1980s in the states of Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.

b) Air breathing fishes

• Giant murrel, striped murrel, spotted murrel, Magar ,Singhi and Climbing perch are the air breathing fish available for culture.
• Air breathing fish are the second most popular group of fish cultured in freshwaters.
• They can withstand poor water quality
• Therefore can be grown in areas unsuitable for carp culture such as marshes and derelict water bodies.

c) Crustaceans

• Giant freshwater prawn and the Indian River prawn are the two species of crustaceans suitable for culture.
• They are highly priced, fast growing species suitable for export
• They can be poly cultured with the carps
• In mono-culture yields of 800 to 1000 kg/ha/year can be obtained.

d) Molluscs

• The freshwater mussels Lamellidenssp and Hyriops sp. are used for production of freshwater pearls.

e) Coldwater fish

• The Mahseers and the exotic trouts are species available for cold water fish culture
• Species Mahseers suitable for culture are Tor putitora; T. torT. khudree, T. mosal and T. malabaricus
• The snow trout Schizothoraxsp and minor carps such as Labeo dero and L. dyocheilus are also suitable coldwater species.
• The exotic cold water fish introduced to India are Salmogairdneri, S. truttafario and Salvelinusfontnualis
• The tenchTincatinca is also suitable so also the common carp, Cyprinus carpio